Professor Helen Stokes Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: "This will be music to the ears of hard pressed GPs who are working flat out to care for patients in the face of winter pressures.

"Now more than ever, it is critical that GPs' valuable time is spent where it is needed most - on the frontline of patient care.

"We thank the CQC for listening to the profession and taking today's timely and sensible decision."

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 52,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.